Early summer, June, I bought a plant at the RHS Centre in Harlow Carr. It cost me £12 and at the time I thought 'ouch, bit expensive' but just had to had it. It was planted in a hanging basket and so perfectly beautiful. The common name for it is Million Bells, and the latin name is
Calibrachoa.
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| Million Bells in July |
As it turns out, it was quite an investment. It must have been flowering for some time before I bought it in June. It has flowered strongly all the way through summer, coping with the sunshine, the wind, the pouring rain, and the shade.
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| Million Bells in September 2011 |
And it is still flowering strongly, despite the dropping temperatures and daylight.
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| Million Bells in October |
I was wondering how to propagate it, thinking it an annual and that it would be dead in a few weeks. I never see seed pods on it or dead flowers for long. It actually clears up after itself!!!! Apparently it is a perennial and you can take tip cuttings. I also read that you can bring it indoors, like a greenhouse. I have decided to bring it indoors, into the house, when the weather gets much colder although I read that it will even tolerate a touch of frost. What more can you ask from such a delicate, pretty, plant?
